


Mayor Me

by CallistaBriars



Category: Political RPF - US 21st c.
Genre: M/M, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 14,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22310914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallistaBriars/pseuds/CallistaBriars
Summary: Pete has always been an overachiever. The young mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has spent his entire life laser focused on work. Between school, internships, military service and a political career, he never had time for a personal life. All that is about to change. In the span of a few weeks, Pete goes from carrying a gun in Afghanistan wondering if he will make it home alive, to realizing he only has one life and he needs to make the most of it. It doesn't help matters that he's still in the closet.After finally finding his place in the world as a teacher, Chasten is ready to settle down with a husband, a dog and some kids. A quiet and drama-free life is what he craves. Why did the cutest guy on his new dating app have to be a popular politician?This is a biographical romance, based on true events. Some creative license has been taken with the story to fill in the gaps of missing information. If you have knowledge on anything I got wrong, please send me a PM and I will fix it. Thank you!If you have any constructive feedback please share it. I might publish this as a biography if I ever get to interview Chasten or Pete. I would love to be able to verify events during their courtship.
Relationships: Chasten Buttigieg/Pete Buttigieg
Comments: 55
Kudos: 75





	1. PROLOGUE

The explosion rolled like thunder. It sounded closer than the last. Pete glanced around at the other soldiers in their base of operations. Nobody was diving under a desk, so he just closed his eyes and said a prayer. Being deployed to Afghanistan these past several months had been life-affirming. And eye-opening. If he ever made it out of there alive he would need to change one big thing in his life.


	2. Pete Comes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete wants to have a personal life, so he has to come out and share his biggest secret.

If being gay was a choice Pete would've chosen anything else. If there was a pill he could take to make himself not be gay he would swallow it down before you handed him a glass of water. If there was a surgery to cut out that piece of whatever had caused his brain to be attracted to the wrong sex he would beg for it. Sadly there was no magic pill or surgery to fix this problem. And to him, growing up in conservative Indiana, it was a bigger problem than anything else in his life.

He first had an inkling of his true feelings when he was in college and none of the girls he dated presented anything more than a lukewarm attraction. He liked girls, He just didn't want to kiss any of them. But there were cute guys everywhere that gave him impure thoughts. He had simply ignored them.

Thankfully Pete's studies at Harvard and Oxford had kept him too busy to think about being lonely. Years later, his job as a business analyst had him working such long hours he was too tired to go out. Being a mayor was the hardest and most rewarding job he'd ever had. But he couldn't understand how some mayors had any time for a family. 

In the middle of his term, he was called to serve his country and went proudly into battle. Or into intelligence gathering to be more precise. Just before he returned home from his deployment, he had an epiphany. If he had been killed in Afghanistan he would've been a 33 year old virgin, never knowing love. He wanted to know love.

First he had to get back up to speed in his job as Mayor. Taking an eight month leave of absence had left many plans unfinished. As the end of his term was approaching he announced he would run for a second. But he knew he had to be honest with everyone.

He came out to his parents first. They were very accepting and happy that he had finally come out to himself. They had suspected for years. His mother asked if he had met someone special. She looked so hopeful, he felt bad when he admitted he hadn't.

Later that day he had an idea on how to break the news to the whole town all at once. He wrote an opinion piece for the local paper about the upcoming Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage. He needed to weigh in, especially after the discriminatory policies put forth by their anti­-gay governor Mike Pence earlier that year. Pete expressed the importance of coming out and being authentic.

All he could do now was wait and see if the news would crush his hopes for re-election.


	3. Everybody Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How will Pete's hometown react to his coming out as gay?

The first phone call came at 6 am from one of Pete's old college friends who lived on the east coast. He'd had no clue Pete was gay. But the revelation didn't change their friendship. He praised him for his courage and wished him strength today.

_Okay! One down. Only about one hundred thousand more to go._

Pete hopped out of bed and got ready for his day, hoping it would go as smooth as that phone call had.

Opening his front door he waited for the young paper boy who usually greeted him each morning. A red bicycle was heading his way. Instead of a happy hello the boy glanced at him with wide eyes and rushed past on his bicycle without throwing him a paper. Pete swallowed down the lump in his throat.

The coffee shop was a little better. Nobody gave him any strange looks. They didn't look at him at all. Were they avoiding eye contact? He was the same person he was yesterday!

The barista winked at him and chirped, "I knew it. I had a bet with my sister. She owes me ten bucks!" 

He gave her a crooked smirk. "Glad I could help." He'd always wondered if people assumed that he was either gay or asexual. He never went on dates, never had a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend. And now everyone knew. _How humiliating!_ Why did it have to be such a big deal? Why was it anyone's business? Why did anyone.care?

When he reached his office, Yesenia jumped up from her desk with arms wide open. He stepped into her hug . "I'm so proud of you, Mayor Pete."

"Thanks." He blinked back tears and quickly changed the subject to pressing work matters, grateful she followed his lead. 


	4. Chasten Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been years since Chasten's last serious relationship. He has decided to give dating one more try.

Chasten had always been different than his two older brothers. They were big and strong, where he was just...not. They loved hunting and sports, while he was obsessed with Celine Dion and The Tony Awards.

After trying so many jobs, from Starbucks barista to nursing assistant, he finally found his passion in teaching children about the humanities. The things that made life worth living.

And he would do for them what Mrs. Bach had done for him. His classroom and auditorium would be a haven for the outcasts.

Being gay was something he had come to terms with many years ago. But after a couple of failed relationships he had stopped looking for love and focused on school.

Now that he had his career on track and was almost finished with his master's degree, he felt ready to settle down. He wanted a serious relationship with someone mature. He dreamt of having a nice house with a dog, maybe some kids of his own one day.

A new app had come out that was supposed to connect people via their Facebook profiles, making sure you had multiple things in common. That could work. How awesome to have a boyfriend who loved Game of Thrones as much as he did. And board games. He would have to be a nerd like him. Music was pretty important too.

Oh! And dogs. Must love dogs.

He opened up his Facebook app and searched for Hinge.

After installing it he was immediately given a few choices. He took a deep breath and opened the first one.


	5. Looking for Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A friend convinces Pete to try a few different dating apps.

Pete had been valedictorian in high school, president of the Institute of Politics Student Advisory Committee at Harvard, and earned first-class honors in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford, but he was completely lost when it came to the dating ritual. 

Dating was usually something people figured out in high school and college. He hadn't. 

The few girls he'd gone out with were friends. Nothing more. He hadn't even kissed any of them. Not unless you counted a peck on the cheek. And dating men had never been an option.

Pete was beyond ready for some romance. 

But how to go about it when you're the mayor? He couldn't ask someone out for coffee. They might get the wrong idea. He didn't want anyone to accuse him of sexual harassment. 

And what happened to all those parents who had tried to match him up with their daughters? Didn't they have sons or nephews they could introduce him to? 

On second thought, he probably shouldn't date anyone in town at all. He would need to meet someone outside the local news sphere. Someone who didn't know who he was. 

Well, it was the digital age. There had to be an app for that.

He signed up with OK Cupid and Match.com and made a few interesting connections. Sadly, not one of them made his heart flutter. Dates were set up anyway, because he needed the practice. If nothing else, he might make some new friends.

A buddy told him about another app that was supposed to automatically connect people with similar interests in their Facebook profiles. That seemed like a logical way to find someone. At least he hoped it was.

He probably looked like the biggest nerd ever. Classic literature? Classic rock? Classic board games? Good grief! He sounded like his father, rather than the thirty-four year old guy he was. He would probably attract older men. Not that there was anything wrong with older men. It would just be nice to have someone to go jogging and hiking with too.

No sense pretending to be anyone other than himself. He wanted someone who wanted to be with the real him. The thought of long winter nights playing Risk in front of a roaring fire made him smile. 

He polished off his profile and published it. Within minutes he was given his match of the day. Why was his hand shaking? He clicked on the button and his heart skipped a beat.


	6. Matched

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete and Chasten's dating app matches them with each other.

Pete sat and stared at the young man's photo for a moment, captured by his smiling clear blue eyes. They looked so...kind. The more he looked into them the more he knew he had to meet their owner. He read the profile.

Chasten? Interesting name. A middle school teacher who obviously loved his job. 

And animals. The caption read, _Baby raccoons are EVERYTHING_.

And his ideal date night included a roaring fire and a long game of Monopoly. _Yes!_

Chasten was a graduate student in Chicago. A little far, but not too far. Definitely out of the reach of South Bend local news. 

Pete clicked on the little red heart to let Chasten know he liked his profile. Now he just had to wait and see if Mr. Glezman liked him back.

He didn't even want to look at anyone else. Chasten's smiling face would give him sweet dreams tonight. He put his phone away and got ready for bed. He was having surgery first thing in the morning to repair an old back injury. He would have time to look in on his dating app while he recovered.

\---

Chasten waited for the plane to roll to a stop so he could turn his phone back on. He wanted to see if he had any new matches on Hinge while he'd been out of town. As the passengers all fought their way off the plane, he sat patiently and thumbed through his notifications.

Stefan in Milwaukee was cute, but he didn't like dogs. Sorry, Stefan. Must love dogs. He quickly added that important tidbit to his own profile and went back to the search option. Another set of choices came up without the dog hater. 

Ben in Chicago looked sweet, but something about his photo came across as inauthentic. Like it was staged on a film set. _Aha!_ Ben was an actor. Chasten had nothing against actors. He, himself, was very involved in local theatre. But he wanted a quiet simple life with someone already settled in a good career. Maybe another teacher. Or a doctor. Someone else who cared about people.

Chasten slung his carry-on bag over his shoulder and headed off the plane, enjoying the quiet, now that everyone else had gone. He paused behind the gate when he saw the next photo.

Peter was a sexy soldier from South Bend. Yikes, that was a bit far. He did not want another long distance relationship, but something about the guy's friendly smile made him keep reading.

The next photo was of the cutie petting an equally cute dog. Not his, as the caption explained. _I hope to have a dog of my own one day._ "Me too, Peter. Maybe we can raise one together?" Chasten leaned against the wall and sighed. He was getting way ahead of himself.

Then there was Peter playing a board game with two old people. "Oh, no. Please tell me he doesn't still live with his parents." 

_I love classic board games._ _Family get-togethers often include a challenging game of RISK._

"Thank God!" A man in his thirties should not still be living at home. But family was very important to Chasten as well. He would probably be playing board games with his own mom and dad on a weekly basis if he didn't have to hop a plane every time he wanted to see them. 

He was about to click on the LIKE button, but the next picture made Chasten hesitate. 

Peter was at a podium surrounded by cheering people. Chasten quickly googled his name.

"Holy shit! He's the freakin' _mayor?_ "

Politics was not something Chasten was into at all. And weren't politicians all a bunch of smooth-talking liars? He stared at Peter's beautiful face and saw nothing but honesty and kindness.

He could sure use a little kindness in his life. He gave Peter a LIKE and waited to see if he replied.


	7. FaceTime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete and Chasten start chatting online.

Pete slept for most of the day and was still a little groggy from the pain medication. Surgery had gone well but he would be stuck in bed for at least two days. His mom had just left some chicken soup but he wasn't hungry. Since his bedroom was upstairs he would be using the sofa for a few days. Good thing it was comfortable.

The doctor said not to lift anything heavier than a cell phone. Pete bicep curled his iPhone up to his face. He tried to focus on his notifications. When he saw the name Chasten he grinned. It was just a LIKE, but to Pete it meant everything.

He sent an instant message just to say hello and waited to see if Chasten would reply.

He did. _Mayor, huh?_

Pete winced. _Is that bad?_

_I'm not much into politics._

Smiling, he replied. _That's totally fine with me. I'd rather not talk politics on a date anyway._

_What would you like to talk about?_

_Game of Thrones?_

_OMG! FaceTime me! I have nobody here to chat with about the season finale!_

They exchanged screen names.

Pete fixed his hair for the tenth time while staring at the unopened app. All he had to do was tap on the green button. But what if his voice cracked? What if he said something stupid? Or too smart? He didn't want to sound like a snob or something.

Before panic could consume him, he made the connection. There was Chasten's smiling face. "Hey, Peter!"

"Hey back." Pete cringed inwardly. No, he did not sound smart at all. He suddenly forgot how to talk. Chasten was honestly the most beautiful man he'd ever seen. He took his breath away.

"I don't have a ton of time. Lunch break at school."

Pete nodded. "School. Good." 

Chasten snorted. "You sound like Tarzan. School good."

Pete chuckled. "Sorry. You're just so cute. I'm in thrall."

Chasten scrunched his face. "Thrall? Is that a good thing?"

"Forget I said that or you might let it go to your head." Pete noticed the background moving as Chasten looked down and picked something up. Book pages were flipping.

"Aha! Thrall...the state of being in someone's power or having great power over someone." Chasten looked at the camera and wiggled his eyebrows. "So you are now under my control?"

"Um." Pete didn't know how to respond. Was this taking a creepy turn?

Chasten stared at him and spoke like Dracula. "Look into my eyes, Peter. Tell me all your secrets." Then he frowned and shook his head, reverting back to his regular voice. "Like why the hell did you become a politician?"

Pete laughed. "Not the sexiest job in the world, eh?"

"Not even top ten."

"Honestly, I've always been obsessed with politics. When I had the chance to help my own city I jumped at it."

Chasten's face softened. "A true public servant. I didn't know politicians actually gave a damn."

"I do. I'd love to show you around my home town."

"You want to meet for coffee this Friday?"

"Sure! I love coffee."

"Me too. My favorite is pumpkin spice latte."

"Just black for me."

Chasten shuddered dramatically. "Please tell me you have a Starbucks in South Bend."

"Several," Pete laughed

They spent the next twenty minutes discussing battles, dragons, and ancient royal families.

\---

_**Okay, okay. I know they actually spoke online for like a month or so. I just wanted to rush to the FIRST DATE...** _


	8. FIRST DATE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment we've all been waiting for! They meet in person!!!

As Chasten got ready to head out, he called Peter to check in before possibly making a two hour drive that led nowhere. 

He answered on the second ring. "Hey! You still coming?"

Chasten smiled. "You betcha! I just wanted to make sure you were still up for it."

"Absolutely! But I'd like to take you to a different place if you're okay with not going to Starbucks."

"Oh yeah? What's so special about it? I have pretty high coffee standards," Chasten said in a snobby voice.

Peter laughed. "The Local Cup is the epitome of community based. They allow people to give what they can, while others pay it forward to the next customer."

"That's pretty awesome. Do they make lattes?"

"No...but you can add your own syrups and stuff."

"Okay. I'll give it a try. I'm all for paying it forward."

"Great! So I'll see you in a couple hours?"

"You will indeed."

The rental car was nice, but Chasten had to be crazy forking over so much money for a long distance date that probably wouldn't even work out. There was no way he could afford to keep commuting for some guy. No matter how cute he was. On the other hand Peter could be his soul mate and he should do all in his power to get to know him.

Sadly, traffic was conspiring against them.

Chasten pulled out his phone after being stuck in traffic for the last hour. He texted Peter that he would be late and was rewarded with an understanding reply about getting dinner instead.

He finally arrived at Peter's house around six. The front door opened just as he slammed the car door. His irritation disappeared when he saw his date's smiling face. They waved at each other and both said, "Howdy!" At the same time. Followed by "Wait! What? That's my word!" 

It was obviously meant to be. They laughed.

Chasten rolled his eyes. "Could we be any more adorkable?"

"Glad you finally made it." 

"Did you think I was gonna ghost you or something?" Chasten walked up and gave him a gentle shove.

Peter shrugged. "I wasn't sure. I'm kinda new at this."

"Online dating is pretty new to me too. Hop in, I'm starving." He opened the door for Peter, noting how quiet he had become. Was he shy? He hadn't seemed that way on the phone. Maybe he just needed someone to help him loosen up. He was a politician after all.

Peter pointed the way to a local pub on Main Street called Fiddler's Hearth. The place was dark and cozy and full of cheerful people shouting across tables to each other. It felt like a town hall rather than a restaurant. A couple people shouted, "Pete!" He waved to them.

At the bar, which sported a wall of various imported whiskeys, Peter ordered a beer. The bartender told him it was on the house. _Nice!_ When Chasten ordered his beer the man said, "That'll be nine dollars." Peter looked embarrassed and quickly jumped in to pay for it.

Once they were seated Peter raved about something called a Scotch Egg. Being a total foodie, Chasten was excited to try something new. It turned out to be a deep fried sausage meatball with an egg in the middle. It was freakin' delicious!

He studied Peter's face when he asked, "So, you like being a mayor?"

The man lit up like a Christmas tree. "I do! It wasn't something I had ever aspired to, but the timing was right and friends encouraged me to run. It's been the most rewarding thing I've ever done."

"Are you going to keep running?" 

"Yeah. I'm up for re-election in a couple months. If I have a good second term I might be considered for Governor."

"Wow. That's pretty cool." Chasten took a swig of beer. He hoped it would be. So far this guy seemed really different than what he'd expected. But the night was young.

They chatted for several minutes about Game of Thrones and their irritation with the latest episode. "It's pretty close to the books."

Chasten gaped. "You read the books?" Those giant tomes?" Peter told him about his love of literature.

The man was fascinating for sure, but Chasten was still concerned about a couple things. "Just so you know, I'm not really interested in a long distance thing. I'm looking for something serious and long term."

"Oh, me too! My ultimate goal is to get married and raise children." Peter held up his hands. "No pressure, though." He had the cutest laugh. His whole body shook with it. 

Conversation flowed between them. It was easy, like talking to a long lost friend. After dinner they took a walk, Peter pointing out points of interest along the way. It was apparent that this man adored his city. His enthusiasm was contagious. The town was very beautiful and something to be proud of.

When Peter nervously asked if he would be interested in going to a baseball game Chasten was pleased. He wasn't much of a sports fan, but he jumped at the chance to spend more time in Peter's company.

At the local stadium people kept approaching Peter to say hi or to ask for selfies. His smile was genuine. He liked people and it showed. Even when accosted by someone with a complaint, he listened intently to their concerns and gave calm thoughtful replies. It was very obvious how much he was loved by his community. 

Chasten had been worried Peter would turn into "Mr. Politician Guy", lowering his voice or standing taller to look down his nose, but he was exactly the same person he had been all evening. It was a joy to watch.


	9. First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The perfect ending to a perfect date.

Pete was worried that Chasten would get annoyed at the constant barrage of people stopping by to talk. It could put a damper on any chance of romance. An hour into the game he suggested they go for a walk. Chasten quickly agreed.

As they walked, Pete felt the slight brush of Chasten's hand against his. He nearly stumbled.

Heart pounding in his ears, Pete slowly reached out and interlocked their fingers and was rewarded with a gentle squeeze. He smiled to himself. He had never felt so alive. Nothing in his life before this had been as exciting as holding this man's hand.

It was getting late and as much as he didn't want the night to end, Pete knew his date had a long drive ahead. Hand-in-hand they walked back to the car. They stood silently for a moment, just looking into each other's eyes. Then as fireworks from the stadium lit up the sky, Chasten leaned in and kissed him. It was soft and gentle and over way too quickly. 

They rested their foreheads together and in that instant Pete knew the reason for every love song ever written. He was floating. Soaring fifty feet above the ground. Free-falling back to reality.

When Chasten pulled back with a look of uncertainty, Pete grinned. "Best. Date. Ever."

Chasten nodded and sighed. "Agreed."

"At the risk of sounding too eager, I hope we can do this again soon."

"I'd like that."

Pete quickly ran through the list of upcoming events in his brain, trying to remember what was happening next. "There's a picnic in the park next Saturday. I'm supposed to give a quick speech, but I would love to have you as my date."

"Is it okay? That you're seen at city events with me?"

Pete shrugged. "Only one way to find out. I'm done hiding who I am."

Chasten nodded. "Then I would be honored to be your date."

Pete breathed a sigh of relief. "Great! Great."


	10. Sweet Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saying goodnight is so hard to do.

Chasten gave a final wave before he drove away from Peter's house. A few blocks away when he was sure he was out of sight he pulled over. 

"Oh my God," he breathed and then knocked his head against the steering wheel a few times. He felt drunk and his face hurt from smiling so much.

It literally was the best date he'd ever had in his life. Peter had been exactly the same person he was online and on the phone. There was nothing fake about the man. How refreshing.

Chasten hadn't wanted to leave. 

He had walked Peter to his front door to say goodnight properly. The guy was so shy it was shocking he became a politician. Peter stared at the ground and shuffled his feet, so Chasten set a finger under his chin and tilted his head up. Those blue eyes! So dreamy and sleepy. He could get lost in them forever.

Peter looked like he was about to say something, but before he could talk Chasten leaned in and kissed him again, brushing his hands through his soft hair. Peter trembled and gripped Chasten's arms. Maybe he needed to find his balance just like him. 

Chasten's head was spinning, and if he hadn't stopped himself, he might have ruined things before they even got started. With one last gentle peck on the lips he whispered, "Sweet dreams." Peter smiled drunkenly, but didn't reply. Chasten chuckled. Could this guy be any cuter? It took every ounce of willpower to turn and walk away.

Now he was sitting in his car trying not to freak out. He wanted so badly to turn around and rush back into Peter's arms. But they needed to have "the talk" first. The dreaded talk. 

\---

Pete leaned back against his front door, eyes closed, reliving the kiss over and over. Sweet dreams indeed. He had almost invited Chasten in for the coffee they never got to have. But wasn't coffee code for sex? He wasn't ready for that yet. And from Chasten's sweet kisses he could tell the man had enough experience for the both of them. Thank goodness.

He was feeling much stronger and was back to sleeping in his bedroom again. As he reached the top of the stairs his phone rang. Smiling at the display, he answered, "Hey, mom!"

"Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg!"

Uh oh. "What did I do?"

"Really? You're going to play games with me? I heard you were looking quite cozy with a strange man."

"He's not strange. A little nerdy maybe--"

"So you admit it! Who is he?"

Pete laughed. "His name is Chasten and he's a school teacher from Chicago. We met online."

"Online? Be careful, honey."

"Always. But we were connected through a dating app that finds people with similar interests. We actually do have a lot in common. I like him, Mom. I like him a lot."

"Oh sweetie, I'm so happy for you. When do we get to meet him."

"Whoa, Mom. We just met! Can we have our second date first?"

"I guess so. Do you have one planned?"

"Community picnic."

"I'll tell your father. He's waiting to hear what's going on."

"Please don't show up on my date."

"You're going to be in a public place! If we happen to be at the picnic why can't we stop by to say hello?"

Why had he picked such a public venue? Maybe he should cancel. Or change it to something more private.

"Peter?"

He couldn't deny his mother anything. "Of course you can. I think you'll like him as much as I do." He hoped. They said goodnight and he got ready for bed. 

Maybe it was just the newness of things? But he couldn't wait to see Chasten again.


	11. Meet The Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete and Chasten have their second date at a community picnic and Pete's parents interrupt.

Pete scanned the park from the gazebo stage. Good thing he had already put down his picnic blanket and basket. Spaces were filling up, but there was still no sign of Chasten. 

What if he had changed his mind? Maybe being around someone in the public eye was too much for him. Was him being a politician going to be a bigger problem than he realized?

Just then Pete saw a man in the distance waving and smiling at everyone he passed. 

_That smile!_ It was what had caught his attention that first time he saw Chasten's photo online. The guy loved people and it showed. And people were loving him right back.

Pete chuckled as Chasten stopped to pet every dog, always greeting their owners first. A group of small children ran up to him, but instead of getting annoyed Chasten knelt down and chatted with them, giving his complete attention. He was probably a great teacher. 

He would be a great dad too. Pete's heart nearly burst at the thought of raising children with this man.

He froze. _Whoa! Slow down, sport. It's only your second date._

As if feeling Pete's eyes on him, Chasten turned and his smile grew wider, if that was even possible. Pete smiled back and waved. He had smiled more in the last week than he had in his entire adult life. Every time he thought of Chasten's eyes or holding his hand or his sweet soft kisses...

"Hey!" Chasten greeted as he walked up.

Pete cleared his throat. "Hi! Glad you could make it!"

"Did I miss your speech?"

"Were you trying to?" Pete asked, only half joking.

Chasten grimaced. "Caught me."

Pete's face fell. "Listen, if it's going to be too hard being with someone like me, I'd much rather know now before things get too serious between--"

"Peter?"

"Hm?"

"I was just kidding."

"Oh."

"You're really worried about this aren't you?"

Pete nodded. "I like you. A lot."

"Then have no fear. The Glezman is here."

"The Glezman?"

"Not into nicknames?"

"You really want me to call you 'The Glezman'?"

Chasten gave him a dubious look. "Now that you've said it out loud a couple times, I'm gonna go with 'No'."

"Whew!" Pete grinned. He wasn't used to joking around with people like this, usually too serious for his own good. "I'm really glad you're here." 

After Pete welcomed everyone to the community picnic, he joined Chasten on a blanket for cold fried chicken and potato salad. He had just taken a bite of chicken when he nearly choked. He managed to swallow the food but started coughing uncontrollably. 

His parents were headed straight for them!

Chasten dropped his plate. "Are you okay? Are you choking? I know the Heimlich Maneuver! Just nod if you need help!"

Pete shook his head and managed to get his breathing under control. "I apologize now for anything embarrassing that may be said in the next two seconds."

"O-kay?" Chasten looked confused.

"Hello, boys!"

Pete scrambled to his feet and kissed his mom on the cheek and put an arm around his dad. "Hey, guys! Chasten, these are my parents." He held his breath and prayed for strength.

Chasten stood. "A pleasure to meet you both." Chasten held out his hand. His dad shook it, but his mom threw her arms around him. "Oh! Okay! Thank you for the hug, Mrs. Buddha-judge!"

"Good job on the pronunciation," Mr. Buttigieg said to Pete.

"Please call me Anne. Or Mom." She beamed as she patted Chasten's cheeks.

"Mom!" Pete gasped. The blood drained from his face. "I'm so sorry."

Chasten laughed.

He gave Chasten a half grin.


	12. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Discussion of sexual assault. Chasten warns Pete about his past trauma and how it might impact their budding relationship.

Chasten felt so welcomed. He didn't remember meeting any of his other dates' parents, usually finding himself the secret relationship for someone not yet out of the closet. 

Yet here he was meeting Peter's parents, on their second date. 

Anne had hugged him and asked him to call her "mom". Was she being silly or was she really that okay with her son's relationships? 

Peter was making odd faces at them, most likely embarrassed they had dropped in on their date. After they had gone Chasten let him know it was okay. "You're parents are cool."  
  
Peter nodded. "They are pretty amazing."

"Have they always been this supportive?"  
  
"Of what?" Peter looked away.  
  
"You. Going out with dudes."  
  
Peter took a huge bite of potato salad. "Mm-hmm."  
  
Chasten wanted to ask more, but his date started sweating. "Are you choking? Just nod if you need help."

Smiling around the mouthful of food, Peter shook his head.

The topic of conversation soon switched to music and Peter raved for several minutes about Dave Matthews, Ben Folds and some of his other favorite bands. Chasten loved watching him talk. It didn't matter that he didn't know who Fish was.  
  
After a long day of potato sack races, bean bag tosses and lawn darts, they were gleefully exhausted. Chasten was still laughing about their wipeout on the field in the three legged race when Peter invited him over for coffee. He quickly added, "It's not what you think! I just need to talk to you in private about something. Away from the curious eyes and ears of the whole town."

"Sure." Chasten still needed to tell Peter about what was going on with him too. "Will you show me around that gorgeous old house of yours?" 

Peter beamed. "Absolutely!"

On the tour they discussed everything that had needed to be repaired or replaced. It was almost the whole house! It was obvious how proud Peter was of all the work he had done with his own two hands. He loved this place. It was one of his greatest accomplishments.

When they sat on the sofa with their coffees, Chasten quickly spoke. "Before we go any further I need to talk to you about something." He set his mug down.

"Okay." Peter did the same.  
  
"I don't want to have sex."  
  
Peter looked stunned. "Ever?"  
  
"I mean eventually, after we've gotten to know each other better. When I feel more comfortable with you." He started to shake.  
  
"Hey, what is it?" Peter touched Chasten's knee and he jumped. He quickly pulled his hand back. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."  
  
"No, no, it's not you." Chasten took a deep cleansing breath. He had to just blurt it out.   
"I was attacked. Assaulted." Hearing those words out loud didn't convey the horrific event that had changed him forever. He held his breath and waited for Peter's reaction, praying it wasn't disgust.

"Assaulted? Do you...you mean...raped?"

Chasten couldn't speak the word. He nodded.

"Oh, God. Are you okay? When did it happen? Want me to go to the cops with you?"  
  
Tears stung, but Chasten smiled. "It was a long time ago. I was eighteen, not yet out of the closet. I'd barely just figured things out. But an acquaintance at a party took it as his mission to 'pop my cherry', as he so eloquently put it." 

Chasten had to stop himself before he gave into old bitterness. "I didn't ask for it, didn't want it, but I was too weak to fight him off. I wasn't as buff and masculine as I am today." He snorted.   
  
Peter didn't say anything, but held out his hand. Chasten grabbed onto it like a lifeline. "I didn't tell anyone. I felt too ashamed, thinking I had done something to lead the guy on. I was in therapy for a few years before I finally believed in myself again."

"I am so so sorry that happened to you. May I hold you?"  
  
Chasten leaned over and rested his head on Peter's shoulder, letting him wrap his arm around his back. "I would never do anything to hurt you. Ever."  
  
"I believe that. I do. I just needed to let you know where I was coming from." Chasten sniffled. "So are you freaked out?"  
  
Peter leaned his head against Chasten's. "Not even a little bit. But now I have to admit something to you. Remember when you were asking about my parents?"  
  
"Yeah, they're very supportive of your lifestyle."  
  
Peter tensed. "Is that what yours think? That it's just a lifestyle choice?"  
  
"Honestly, my parents did at first, but they're better now. My brothers, on the other hand, not so much. They love me and I love them, but they would rather I stay in the closet and marry a girl."

"Eww."   
  
_"Right?"_  
  
They laughed together until Chasten remembered why they were there. "So what did you need to talk about?"  
  
"Yeah. The reason my parents are so supportive was because they thought I might be asexual."  
  
"Why...?" Chasten's voice trailed off. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.  
  
Peter was quiet for a moment. He cleared his throat. "I only just came out a few months ago. To everybody."  
  
Chasten's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He sat up. "You. Wait. Are you saying--?" He glanced around the empty living room and whispered, "Are you still a virgin?"  
  
Peter's face turned beet red. "Sort of."  
  
"Sort of?"  
  
"I dated a little bit in high school and college. Girls."  
  
"Did you sleep with them?"  
  
Peter shook his head.  
  
Chasten held back a laugh. "Peter, that makes you a virgin."  
  
"I guess that makes me a freak or something."

Chasten touched Peter's cheek. "I think it makes you pretty special. But are you sure you don't want to go out with someone who is ready to...fulfill all your needs?"

"I didn't start dating just so I could jump in the sack with the first guy who showed interest. I came out of the closet because I wanted someone special in my life. A partner to share things with, talk with, pal around with. And when we're both ready, to share the most intimate moments with."

A tear rolled down Chasten's face but he ignored it. "How the hell did I get so lucky?"

"I was just thinking the same thing."


	13. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oops! Chasten accidentally spends the night!

Pete awoke to a strange heaviness in his chest. He opened his eyes and was surprised to find Chasten snuggled against him, head resting over his heart. His lips were parted, snoring softly.

They had talked into the night and fallen asleep on the sofa.

Pete wanted to stay there and watch Chasten sleep, but he had to leave. Maybe he could sneak out and be back before Chasten awoke. He tried to slip out from under him, but Chasten grasped his shirt and pressed tighter against him. He whimpered.

Knowing it was the only option, Pete gently shook Chasten awake. "Hey," he whispered. 

Chasten stretched and smacked his lips like a sleepy puppy. When he opened his eyes he gasped and jumped back, babbling, "Oh, God--I'm so sorry--I didn't mean to stay the night. Do you want me to sneak out the back or--?"

"Whoah! What? No. Why would I want you to sneak out?"  
  
Chasten shrugged.

"Did somebody do that to you?" When Chasten didn't respond, Pete said, "That's despicable."  
  
"I don't want to ruin your career."

Pete gave a short laugh. "If my career is ruined it will be because of the op ed I wrote in the Tribune telling the world I was gay. I may not get re-elected because of it. And if people have a problem with who I am I'll deal with it."

Chasten looked miserable.

Pete asked, "Will you stay?"

"For what?"

"Breakfast?"

Chasten's face lit up. "Really? Yeah. I'd like that."

"Great! I have to go to church, but I'll be back in a couple hours."

"Church? Why? Are you repenting for your sins?"

"Not at all. I promised Pastor Bob I would stop by and say a few words about the upcoming park opening. His community raised a bulk of the funds."

"Oh. That's nice."

"You want to come with me?"

Chasten froze. "Uh..."

Pete chuckled. "I'll take that as a 'no'. It's okay. You can just stay right here. Close your eyes and I'll be back before you know it."

Chasten gave him a sleepy smile. Pete gave him a quick kiss before getting ready to go. 

Before Pete left he noticed Chasten had fallen asleep again. He chuckled as he quietly shut the door.  
  
-  
  
When Chasten awoke again, the sun was shining through the windows. He rolled himself off the sofa and went to check out the kitchen. He had seen it briefly the night before as they passed through on their tour, but now he had time to really explore.   
  
It had always been a dream of his to have a big kitchen with an island, a place to try new exotic recipes or bake tons of holiday cookies. Chasten ran his hand along the smooth butcher block, imagining preparing breakfast for Peter, bringing him breakfast in bed on a lazy Sunday.   
  
Such a silly thing to want.   
  
Would it be too presumptuous of him to just start cooking? He contemplated it for two seconds before opening the fridge.  
  
So caught up in the joy of creating and rocking out to Beyonce, he didn't hear Peter enter. He jumped when he noticed him standing in the doorway grinning at him. He stopped dancing. "Oh, hey! Didn't see you there."   
  
"I was enjoying the show. Please don't stop on my account. May I help you?"

Chasten started bopping again, though a little less enthusiastically. "Actually I'm just about done. Grab some plates."

Peter handed over two white plates and then set the table. He was like a male version of Martha Stewart. There were blue placemats and tasteful contrasting linen napkins, on which were placed just the right amount of flatware in the correct order.  
  
Chasten slid the cheese omelets onto the plates, while watching Peter. He nearly dropped the food on the floor when the man set a flower centerpiece on the small table.

"Did you give up a career in interior design when you became Mayor?"

"No. Why would you think that?" He looked to where Chasten indicated the table settings. "What? It makes the meal more enjoyable when you have a nicely set table. At least that's what my mom always said."

"And it is quite a nicely set table, Peter. Thank you," Chasten teased and sat across from him. He was about to start eating, but Peter closed his eyes and folded his hands over his food.

_Oh no. Please don't tell me this cutie is a Jesus freak._

Peter must have noticed the shocked look on Chasten's face when he opened his eyes. "Sorry, I didn't think to ask if you were religious or not. I often say Grace before eating. If it makes you uncomfortable I won't do it."  
  
 _Whew! Not a freak._  
  
Chasten waved it away. "Nah, it's fine. I'm just not used to it."

"People don't say Grace in Chicago?"

"Actually I'm originally from Traverse City."

"The cherry capital of the world?"

"Yeah!" Chasten smiled. "I used to work at Cherry Republic. And I have a blue ribbon in pit spitting." 

Peter laughed. "Impressive."

Chasten smiled proudly. "Dig in." He watched Peter take the first bite.   
When Peter moaned in pleasure, so did he. Silently. 

"This is the best omelet I've ever eaten! And I've eaten many. You might say I'm an egg aficionado."

"Glad you like it." Chasten turned his attention to his own plate and avoided watching Peter eat. But the man was loud. Peter hummed his appreciation after almost every bite. The sound was very...distracting.   
  
After the talk they'd had last night it would be a bit strange if Chasten suddenly dove across the breakfast table. He shoveled food into his mouth and pretended not to notice that his date was driving him insane with desire.  
  
 _Mm, it was a good omelet._


	14. Some Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chasten feels insecure and gets some much needed advice from a friend.

Chasten was having trouble concentrating. He had papers to grade, yet all he could think about was his weekend with Peter.

It had been magical. He had been using that word a lot lately, but it was true. From meeting Peter's sweet parents in the afternoon and talking with Peter through the night, to waking up in his arms the next morning and sharing breakfast...

Yep, magical.

They had ended the day by making plans to meet up again the following weekend. Peter had even hinted at bringing an overnight bag, just in case.

Chasten checked his phone again. Still no reply. He glanced at the time. It was ten minutes later than the last time he'd looked.

Geez! He did not want to be that guy. That clingy loser who keeps checking for messages. How pathetic. Nobody should allow another person to dictate their happiness or self worth.

But the doubts crept in anyway.

Maybe Peter had been turned off by him and was just being polite. Did he really not care about sex? That seemed so impossible.

How could somebody still be a virgin in their thirties? Okay, so there was that movie a few years back where the guy was forty. But that was not the norm. Even Chasten had been with two boyfriends and he was seven years younger than Peter!

For the rest of the morning he kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Every time the phone rang he just knew it would be Peter calling to break things off.

His friend Eddie called him at lunchtime to ask him how his new job was going.

"Good. Good. It's good. Thanks!"

"Uh oh. What's going on?"

"What? Nothing."

"Try again, pal."

Chasten sighed. "How the heck do you do that?"

"You sound like you're pretending to be upbeat. I know cuz when you do that you start talking really fast and your voice gets more high pitched."

Chasten smiled. "I met this guy--"

"Ooh la la! A guy, you say?"

Chasten laughed. "Yes. I thought things were going well. We even spent the night together."

"Whoa, slow down! You just met the guy and you're already spending the night? Dude!"

"No, not like that. We were up all night talking and fell asleep on his sofa."

"Aww, how sweet. I wanna meet someone I can stay up all night talking with. So what's the problem? Did he kick you out in the morning like that last bastard?"

"Actually, no. We had a really lovely morning together. I made him breakfast."

"What breakfast?"

"Omelet."

"Cheddar?"

Chasten paused. "Three cheese."

"Holy shit, this guy must be really special. You grated three different cheeses for him!"

"He is. Or was."

"So what happened to Mr. Three Cheese?"

"I don't know. Up until yesterday we've been sending daily texts. Jokes and stuff. But I didn't hear from him at all today. I sent him a joke when I first got to school. Normally he sends a laughing emoji, or a groaning one depending on the sentiment."

"That's it? You're freaking out because he hasn't replied to your stupid text?"

"I know, I know. I'm pathetic."

"Chas, you need to be patient. It's been what? A day?"

"Um, four hours, actually."

There was silence on the other end. Then, "Chasten?"

"Yeah?"

"Let me give you some advice. Put your phone away and get back to work."

"Thank you, Obi-wan Kenobi. What would I do without you."

"Call me when you hear from Mr. Three Cheese."

"If he calls," Chasten mumbled.

The line clicked. Chasten shook his head. Eddie was right. He needed to stop obsessing over whether or not Peter texted him back today.

Finally around four o' clock he got a text.

_Hope your day was better than mine. MEETINGS SINCE DAWN!!! UGH!  
Funny meme, BTW. But the band is Phish, not Fish._

Chasten nearly burst into tears. 

No! He would not allow this man--this beautiful man--to dictate his happiness. But, OMG. He was so overjoyed in that moment, he forgot how to type. He clicked on a smiley emoji.

"Shit!" Wrong smiley! His finger had slipped and he clicked on the one with the drooling tongue and heart eyes. Not that he wasn't usually swooning over Peter's photos, but he didn't have to know that. He was about to send an apology when he received a smiley surrounded by hearts. "Aww..." 

He texted back... _MY DAY JUST GOT BETTER._


	15. The Weekend Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first whole weekend together.

Chasten hit the road as soon as the school day ended. His bag was packed and ready in the trunk of his rental car. He and Peter had talked about it and agreed they would spend the entire weekend together. No pressure, just fun.

This time traffic was with him and he made it to Peter's house in record time. The front door opened when he pulled up.   
  
"Hey!" Peter jogged over to the car. "Can I get your bag?"  
  
"A true gentleman!" Chasten popped the trunk and Peter took out the gym bag.  
  
"Did you bring shorts and a swimsuit like I asked?"  
  
"Yes. Are we going to the lake?"  
  
Peter shook his head. "Nope. It's a surprise. And I'm trying really hard not to just blurt it out."  
  
Chasten smiled at Peter's excitement. "So I shouldn't try to tickle it out of you?"  
  
Peter laughed. "You could try."  
  
"Yeah?" Chasten waited until they were inside with the door closed before he pounced. He got nothing.  
  
"I'm not ticklish."  
  
Chasten pouted. "Now you tell me."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"So what's on the agenda?"  
  
Peter claimed he had the whole weekend planned. "Leave it all up to me."   
  
"What about tonight?"  
  
"I ordered a pizza. It should be here any minute."  
  
"Netflix and chill?" Chasten froze at his own joke.  
  
"Um..." Peter turned red.  
  
"Just kidding. Sex is off the table, remember?"  
  
Peter nodded. "Netflix and pizza."  
  
 _Great!_ Now Chasten had put a damper on the evening. He picked up his bag. "Where should I put my stuff?"  
  
\---  
  
 _Great!_ Pete had ruined things before they even got started. He had been so looking forward to the weekend and now he would be thinking about sex, or the avoidance of it. He honestly didn't care, but he wanted Chasten to believe it. He showed him to the guest room. "You can put your bag on the bed for now."  
  
Chasten looked around. "Sparse. I was expecting family photos or something."  
  
"Why would I put them in the guest room?"  
  
"Guest room?"  
  
"You're my guest."  
  
Chasten's face fell. "Oh, I thought we--"  
  
"I mean, unless you want--"

"Yeah, that's cool." Chasten nodded. Then nodded some more.

Pete was on the verge of begging him to sleep in his room with him. Thankfully he was saved by the doorbell. "Pizza's here!" He dashed out of the room.

The mood was lightened when they munched on dinner and watched _Dr. Strangelove_ , one of Pete's favorite films. Chasten loved it too. 

After they said good night and went to their separate beds, Pete lay awake thinking about Chasten. He wanted him by his side, even if all they shared was some closeness. A few minutes later there was a soft knock on the door. It slowly opened and Chasten peeked his head in.

"May I join you? I think my room is haunted."

Pete bolted upright. "Really?"

Chasten shrugged. "No. I just missed you."

Pete grinned and flipped back the sheet. "I couldn't sleep either. I like having you next to me."

"I feel safe with you." Chasten slipped in beside him.

"You are." Pete touched his cheek and gave him a peck on the forehead before rolling away. As he was drifting off he felt Chasten scoot closer. He smiled and immediately fell into a deep sleep.


	16. The Weekend Continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete has a surprise adventure planned for Chasten.

Chasten awoke to the sound of soft snoring. For a moment he didn't know where he was. He opened his eyes to see Peter's face just a few inches from his own.

Had they--?

Last night came flooding back to him. The lonely guest room. His boldness at entering Peter's bedroom. Spooning. He smiled. 

Peter was the cutest guy he'd ever seen. Chasten rested his head on his hand and watched him sleep.  
  
That's how Peter found him when he woke. "Hey," he rasped.  
  
"Hey, yourself."  
  
"You been watching me sleep?"  
  
"Does that creep you out?"  
  
Peter grinned. "No. Not at all. I kinda like being objectified by you."  
  
"Objectified? Ogled? Appreciated. Lord, but you're adorable." Chasten rubbed his nose against Peter's and sighed.  
  
"Like a kitten?"  
  
"More like a puppy."  
  
"You really like dogs, don't you?"  
  
"I really really do."  
  
"I've been wanting to get a dog, but I don't have time to take care of one on my own."  
  
"Same."  
  
Peter glanced at the window. "Oh, geez! What time is it?"  
  
"It's Saturday! Who cares?"  
  
"I made plans for us."  
  
"So early? I repeat, it's Sa-tur-day."  
  
Peter grabbed his glasses off the nightstand and looked at the clock. "We need to get ready! Go put your swimsuit on."  
  
"Uh, it's a little cold for swimming right now."  
  
"Just go do it." Peter gave him a shove.  
  
"Ooh, bossy. I like it. Yes, sir." Chasten went back to the guest room.  
  
\--  
  
Pete hoped Chasten liked what he had planned. He got ready in record time. Swapped his glasses for contacts and made some coffee.  
  
Chasten came down a few minutes later, dressed in shorts and a tee. He had nice legs. Muscular.   
"Do you run," Pete asked.  
  
Chasten posed, showing off his toned legs. "I've been known to jog around a block or two. You?"  
  
"Yeah. Most mornings I go running with a couple friends. We keep each other in check."  
  
"Wow. Make me look bad."  
  
Pete shook his head. "I don't mean to. I had a weight problem as a kid, so I need to make sure to stick with a regimen."  
  
Chasten looked him up and down and wiggled his eyebrows. "I approve."  
  
Pete laughed. "You ready?"  
  
"I don't know. Am I?"  
  
"As you'll ever be, I suppose." Pete pulled him by the hand out the back door.

"Oh, no. Am I going to regret this?" 

\---

 _This_ turned out to be a 2000 foot stretch along the St. Joseph River known as the East Race Waterway. Peter was bouncing on his toes, obviously excited. "It's the first artificial white water rafting and kayaking course in North America!"

"Wow." Great. Now Pete was about to find out how much he was not the outdoorsy type. "Fun..."

"Let's see what you're made of!" Peter ran over to a stack of rubber rafts and shook hands with the man guarding them. Chasten walked slowly as Peter lowered a small two-man craft into the water, holding it in place with an oar. He was grinning widely as he held out another oar. "What do you think?"

"It's a boat. A very _small_ boat." Chasten looked toward the swirling white caps off in the distance. He was going to drown. He was going to lose his oar and fall overboard as soon as they hit the first wave or squall or whatever it was called. 

"Hey, you okay? You look like you might throw up."

"Did I mention I don't swim?"

"You don't know how to swim?"

"Oh, I know how. I just don't."

"Past trauma or something?"

Chasten nodded. "Older brothers who thought it would be funny to drop a three year old into a pool. I learned pretty quickly after that, but not for enjoyment."

Peter took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I promise not to let you fall." In that instant Chasten knew this man would never let him fall. He would always be there to catch him. He grabbed the oar with confidence. Then let Peter help him into a life jacket and crash helmet.

The owner held the raft still as Peter stepped down into it. He raised his hand to help Chasten board. "I'll be behind you. If you look like you're about to topple over I'll grab you."

"You can grab me anyway," Chasten teased. Peter blushed. "Sorry. I keep doing that. My mouth just sort of has a mind of its own." Realizing he was further digging a hole he replied to his own comment, "I'm not trying to send you mixed signals, I swear."

"No worries." Peter chuckled. "I love your humor. Really! I'm just not used to flirting and don't know how to respond. It's embarrassing. That's all."

Chasten patted his shoulder. "If that's the case, I'll teach you. Like I said, humor is my natural response. And flirting is fun, so long as you understand it's all talk and no action."

"I do." Peter changed the subject, giving Chasten a quick lesson in steering. He also asked the owner to turn down the water to beginner level. Suddenly the rapids became more of a gentle flow.

They shoved off and navigated through the gates. Within a few minutes Chasten got the hang of the oar. He was soon paddling like an expert. The rise and fall of the gentle waves was fun, almost relaxing. By the end he was ready for the water pressure to be turned back up. They went through a second time, whooping and hollering until they dissolved into fits of giggles. 


	17. The Weekend Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's so hard to say goodbye.

After two days of pizza, white water rafting, beer, movies, coffee, music, and more pizza, their first full weekend together was coming to a close.

Chasten did not want to go back to his lonely apartment in Chicago. He wanted to stay in South Bend with Peter. The town was so lovely, something that people had been eager to point out hadn't always been the case. "Mayor Pete saved our city!" more than one person happily told him.

He zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, while glancing around the sparse guest room. It really was a beautiful house. Peter had saved a lot of things from ruin. The piano downstairs, surrounding neighborhoods, all of downtown. Him.

Chasten sighed. If there was anyone he would upend his life for it was Peter. But he needed to finish his Masters Program, as well as the school year that had only just begun.

"You got everything?" Peter stepped into the room and looked around. He gave Chasten a sad smile. "I had such a great time with you. I don't want you to go."

With that simple statement Chasten dropped his bag and threw his arms around Peter. "You have no idea how much that means to me, to hear you say that."

"I guess you like me too, then?" Peter chuckled.

Chasten hugged him tighter. "I'm sorry," he whimpered. "I don't mean to come across as needy. But full disclosure, I am needy. I'm full on broken." He sniffled and blinked back tears.

Peter rubbed his back and whispered, "You are not broken. You may think you are, but you're not. You are brave and beautiful and so kind. You make everyone smile wherever you go."

The tears were unstoppable, but Chasten hid his face against Peter's shoulder, afraid to let him go. What if he went home and then the man decided he couldn't handle such a pathetic little crybaby? A sob broke free.

"I don't know everything you've been through, who else might have hurt you, but you are safe with me. I say bring it on. Need me all you want. Let me be the one you turn to." Peter paused. "Oh geez, I sound like song lyrics." He laughed in that cute way that shook his whole body.

Chasten smiled and finally stepped away. Before he could wipe his eyes, Peter cupped his face and brushed his thumbs across his cheeks. "Believe me?"

"I want to," Chasten admitted, getting lost in Peter's beautiful blue eyes. 

"Then do it. And we'll see each other next weekend. Think of something you would like to do so I can plan it out."

How did Peter do that? In the blink of an eye Chasten went from scared and crying to openly beaming and looking forward the future.

\----------

Pete was worried that Chasten might not believe him, until the guy gave him a gorgeous smile. Every cell in his body turned to mush and he smiled back. "I'm gonna miss you so much. I like having this mug around." He gave a final brush to his cheek. "Shall we go get you some coffee for the road? I heard the Starbucks on Eddy got an early shipment of pumpkin spice."

"Shut up."

Pete smirked. "I would never lie about something so important to you." 

They drove over together and back just to give themselves a few more minutes together. Then Chasten got into his rental car and drove away.

With his own black coffee in hand, Pete waved goodbye, feeling like a part of himself had gone with Chasten. He prayed for next weekend to come quickly.

Back inside he called his mom. "He's gone and I feel so lost. How can I feel that close to him already?"

_"When it's right you just know, sweetie. When I met your father I knew."_

"But I don't want to rush into anything. What if I make a mistake?"

_"You have to take the risk first before you find out. But, honey, it's so worth it."_


	18. Meet The Parents, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chasten takes Peter home to meet his family.

Chasten's hand shook as he dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Mom!"

"What's wrong?" Sherri Glezman asked in a panic.

"Why do you think something's wrong?"

"You sounded scared."

"Oh, well, I met someone..."

"Is he hurting you?"

"What? No, not at all. It's just the opposite."

"Then what has you so scared?"

"I was hoping I could bring him over for dinner next Thursday."

There was silence on the other end.

"Mom?"

"Sorry. I just...so it's that serious. You've never brought anyone home before."

"I think he might be the one, Mom."

"How do you know?"

"It's the way he makes me feel--"

"Chasten, I told you I don't want to know about that stuff."

"Not that! Geez! We haven't even gotten that far."

"Oh. Sorry. So you think he's your prince charming?"

"I know he is. Wait until you meet him! If it's okay, that is."

"It's fine. We can easily set another plate for him. But what about his own family?"

"His parents are going on a cruise with friends."

"So they have money, eh?"

"I wouldn't say that. They're both teachers."

"Just like you! They say men always marry their mother. Or father, in this case."

"Well, Peter's not a landscaper, but he is super sweet and caring. So I guess he is like you and Dad. Not that we're getting married anytime soon."

"Just a word of warning, your brothers will be here, and I can't vouch for how they'll react."

"Will you please talk to them so they're not blindsided?"

"Sure. See you next week."

Chasten hung up the phone, not quite feeling relieved but glad he at least called to ask. Now he wouldn't have to un-invite Peter to Thanksgiving.

\---

Pete was excited. He had never met his boyfriend's family before. He and Chasten had been dating for over two months, spending every available weekend together, either in South Bend or Chicago. 

And each week it got harder and harder to say goodbye.

But he couldn't just ask Chasten to move in with him.   
Could he?  
No. That would be selfish. The guy had a life, a job, college. Besides, how soon did couples usually start living together? Was there a standard? Maybe he should Google it.   
He picked up his phone and searched for answers.

"A year?" he groaned.

Pete couldn't wait that long. Was that really the soonest? He huffed out a breath and kept scrolling.   
Many reported moving in after three or four months.   
Okay, his birthday was in January. He could ask Chasten then. 

But that was still over a month away.   
Patience is a virtue, he reminded himself.

At least they had winter break coming up. Almost two whole weeks together! But today was a turning point. He headed out to pick up his date.

When he arrived Chasten was already waiting outside. "How long have you been out here?"

"A while. I needed air. I have to warn you, my brothers are both born-again, whatever that's supposed to mean. Dustin's pretty cool, but Rhyan is not okay with me being gay. He still thinks it's something I can get over."

"Thanks for the warning. Maybe when he sees us together he'll realize that we're no different than any other couple."

Chasten nodded but didn't say anything.

\---

They were greeted at the door by Chasten's father Terry. "Hello, boys! Come on in!" He gave Chasten a bear hug. 

Pete laughed right before Terry turned to him. He was shocked to be given the same welcoming embrace. Pete tried to give him a bro hug, but Terry wasn't having it. Chasten's father held him a bit longer and whispered, "Thank you for making my son so happy." Pete gasped and hugged back tighter, too overwhelmed to reply.

Chasten's mother Sherry came running from the kitchen, still wearing an apron and oven mitts. She squealed and crashed into her son, making both of them giggle hysterically. Then they faced Pete with matching smiles.

Sherri's eyes welled with tears. "You must be Peter." She approached him and Pete held out the bouquet of crushed flowers that had accidentally got caught in Terry's arms. "Thank you," she said sweetly before giving Pete a more gentle hug.

"It's great to finally meet both of you," Pete said, unsure of what to do next. Where was all his political training? He could barely form sentences. 

Then a younger man walked in. Pete tensed, wondering which one of the brothers it was. When the man opened his arms to Chasten, he knew it had to be Dustin. 

\---

Chasten jumped into his older brother's arms, wrapping his legs around him and knuckling his head with "noogies". Dustin laughed and shoved his little brother off him. "You're such a nerd," he teased.

Chasten introduced him and Peter, smiling with pride as Dustin shook hands with his boyfriend.

Then he glanced around. "Where's Rhyan?"

The Glezmans all glanced at each other. Then Sherri said, "He and his wife are spending the holiday with her family this year."

Chasten's stomach dropped. He knew that was a lie. Early this morning Ryan had planned to be there. He nodded and smiled, then made some lame joke as he walked into the kitchen.

Peter was right behind him. "You okay?"

"My oldest brother is ashamed of me! How do you think I feel?" 

"I'm so sorry." Peter put a calming hand on his back.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out at you."

"That's what boyfriends are for."

"Is that what they're for?"

"And this." Peter wrapped his arms around him from behind and kissed the back of his head.

"Thank you. I'm glad you're here, even if my brother isn't."

"Hey! What am I, chopped liver?" Dustin came in and messed up Chasten's hair. "Personally I'm happy you met someone special." He turned to Peter. "But if you hurt him I'll break your legs."

Peter's eyes went wide. "Duly noted."

Chasten gave his brother a shove. "He's just kidding."

Dustin glared. "Or am I?"

Peter gulped and turned away. "So...what can I do to help?"

"Not a thing. Everything's ready," Sherri announced before rounding everyone up for dinner.


	19. Thanksgiving Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chasten's family finds out he's dating a politician.

After the family said Grace, the first question was asked by Chasten's father Terry. "So Peter, what do you do?"

Pete glanced at Chasten and questioned him with his eyes. Chasten answered with a wide eyed stare. Thinking that was his cue to keep quiet about politics, Pete turned back to Terry. "I uh, work for the city."

"The city, huh? What exactly does that entail."

"Lots of different things. I help the people of South Bend, Indiana, with everything from trash pick up and road repairs to creating policies to help make everyone's lives better."

"A true public servant, eh?" Chasten's mother Sherri asked with a beaming smile.

"Wait." Dustin gave Pete a suspicious look. "I thought I recognized you. Aren't you a politician or something?" he asked, his voice going up an octave.

"Politician?" Chasten's parents repeated in unison, looking at him in horror.

Pete gulped.

"He's the mayor, okay!" Chasten announced.

Jaws around the table dropped.

Pete smiled crookedly and took a bite of turkey. "Wow. This is the best turkey I've ever had."

"Did people know about you?" Dustin asked, looking between him and Chasten. "Your preferences, that is."

Pete cleared his throat. "Um...not when I first ran. I didn't come out publicly until my re-election campaign."

"Re-election?" Sherri dropped her fork, making a loud clang against the plate. "How old were you when you first got elected?"

Pete covered his mouth as he chewed and murmured, "Twenty-nine."

"That's mighty young for a mayor, isn't it?" Terry asked.

Pete nodded. "I was the youngest in our history, I know that much. And I think the youngest ever for a mayor of any mid-sized city."

"So your town found out you were gay and re-elected you anyway?" Dustin couldn't seem to wrap his head around the idea.

Chasten answered for him. "Yes, they re-elected him with eighty percent of the vote! That's even more than the first time. Being gay doesn't affect your ability to do your job, Dustin."

"Sorry. That's not what I meant. I just thought Indiana was sorta conservative. Isn't the governor that 'pray the gay away' guy?"

"Mike Pence." Pete replied. "Yeah. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that most people were either excited about it, happy that I came out, or they just didn't care."

Chasten agreed. "South Bend is pretty liberal for a Midwestern city, at least the people I've met. They've been very welcoming to me, and to us as a couple."

Sherri looked worried. "I just don't want anything to happen to my baby." Chasten took her hand across the table.

"Don't worry," Pete said. "I'm also trained for military combat." He chuckled.

"Shut up!" Dustin's mouth dropped open, showing uneaten mashed potatoes.

Chasten gave his brother a smug smile. "Peter's a lieutenant."

"I'm Army," Dustin crowed.

"Navy," Pete replied.

"Wussies!"

Pete scowled at Dustin. "Tell that to my friends who were killed in Afghanistan."

Dustin looked away and mumbled, "Sorry."

The conversation moved on to Chasten's studies and his parents cooed about how proud they were.

After dinner Pete and Chasten helped clean up. Sherri came in and thanked them. "I have a guest room made up for Peter. Chasten, you can take your old room."

"Oh," Chasten glanced at Pete. "We got a hotel room in town."

"Don't be silly."

"Our flight got in so late last night and I didn't think you would be comfortable with us sharing a room."

"Your bed is pretty small..." Her voice trailed off.

"We want to share a room, Mom. We'll be by first thing in the morning so Dad can take us on his traditional deer hunt."

"Hunt?" Pete asked, feeling the blood drain from his face.

"Don't worry, you won't have to kill anything." Sherry patted his arm. "Just hide out in the cold woods with the guys drinking coffee or cocoa."

"Fun," Pete murmured. He would much rather be in front of a warm fire cuddling with Chasten, but he would do his best to impress his future in-laws. Pete froze. _In-laws?_ Where had that thought come from?


	20. Snowed In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Pete doesn't have to go hunting after all...or does he?

Pete and Chasten walked into their hotel room and collapsed back on the bed chuckling.

"That went well," Pete said, not actually believing it.

"My parents loved you!"

"Really? Could've fooled me. When they found out a was a politician I thought they were going to run me out of their house."

"They're just wary. Politics was always a dirty word in our house."

"Why?" Pete turned toward Chasten and rested his head in his hand.

"To my family it's all about being overtaxed and underpaid. And don't get me started on health care. At least Obama got the ball rolling. But before then medical expenses took a big chunk of my parent's income."

Pete nodded. That was a big problem for a lot of people. He wished he had the power to help everyone.

"Peter?"

"Hm?"

"Can we please stop talking?" Chasten brushed his hand down Pete's face. 

Pete turned and pressed a kiss to his palm. "Gladly."

They got ready for bed and snuggled under the covers. "I'm so glad you're here," Chasten whispered.

"Me too." They touched foreheads and drifted off.

Sometime in the middle of the night Chasten reached out to Pete and made it clear he wanted more than cuddling. 

"Are you sure?" Pete asked. "I don't want you to feel pressured in any way." 

Chasten smiled before kissing Pete into submission. 

\---

Chasten awoke just as the sun peeked through the edges of the curtains. He looked over at Peter's sweet face. Last night had been magical. They had gotten more intimate than ever. Some of the fear was still there for Chasten, but Peter was slowly chipping away at it. With every look, every touch, every kind word, he could feel Peter's love for him.

_Love?_

It had to be love. Chasten had never felt so cherished in his life. It gave him a warm glow to know that this beautiful man was all his.

Lately, Chasten had been wondering about how to broach the subject of their living arrangement. Logically, he knew it was probably too early in the relationship to talk about moving in, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. That big beautiful house of Peter's must be so lonely. The guy didn't even have a dog. Something had to be done about that.

Peter's eyes blinked open. "Hey." His soft smile soon became a huge grin.

Chasten blushed. "Hey, yourself." 

"Is it time to go?" 

Chasten was about to say yes, but at that moment his phone buzzed. He picked it up and read an extreme weather warning. "A freak snowstorm blew in last night." He went to the window and saw their rental car buried in snow. He laughed. "Bummer. Looks like we're snowed in."

"Gee, that is too bad. Wonder what we should do, trapped all alone in here for who knows how long." Peter stretched, letting the sheet fall away from his smooth bare chest. He wiggled his eyebrows.

Chasten scowled and leaned down over him, trapping Peter with his body. "You think you're so cute, don't you? Well...you are...but don't let that go to your head."

Peter chuckled. "Yes, sir." 

Chasten kissed away his laughter.

Just as things began to heat up, a loud knock on the door jolted them apart.

"Let's go, boys!" A loud voice boomed. "You think a little snow storm will stop the Glezman Thanksgiving Hunt?"

Chasten let out a small shriek. "It's my dad! Shit!"

Peter's face turned beet red. He ran to the bathroom. 

Chasten quickly threw on some clothes and opened the door. "Hey, Dad!" He tried to act nonchalant.

His dad tried to hide his smile, but Chasten could see it in his eyes. Why the hell did he feel like a kid getting caught stealing from the cookie jar? Geez! He was an adult!

"I figured you two would be in need of transportation."

Chasten nodded. "Thanks."

"You don't seem happy to see me. I wonder why." His dad chuckled. "You got five minutes to get your boyfriend ready to go."

"Yes, sir." He watched his dad walk toward his snow plow. He heard the bathroom door open behind him. "We need to get going. Make sure you dress in layers." Chasten picked out a few pieces and tossed them at Peter. "And hurry. Dad doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Peter saluted. "Aye aye, Captain."

\---

Within a few minutes they were ready and heading to the Glezman house. It was awkwardly silent in the truck cab, aside from occasional chuckling from Chasten's dad. But Pete was too embarrassed to say anything.

Finally Terry said, "I hope you explained the drill to Peter."

"Drill?" Pete asked.

Chasten shrugged. "I figured I would leave that to you and Dustin."

Pete glanced at Chasten, who avoided eye contact. He let it go since they were already at the house and he was sure to find out what was up any minute. 

Chasten's mom and brother stepped out of the house to greet them."Hey, nerd! Say goodbye to your boyfriend." Dustin snickered.

Pete's eyes went wide. "Goodbye?"

"Um. Yeah. I've refused to go hunting with them since I once shot a bird out of a tree while trying to miss a deer. It was very traumatic for me." 

"But...what...where?" Peter stammered.

"I'll be with my mom preparing a very special lunch for you. Love you!"

Pete stood frozen as Chasten hugged him and ran off, leaving him alone with his very large and imposing father and brother. But at that moment he was torn between fear and joy. Chasten had just told him he loved him. He leaned into joy and it warmed him from the inside out.


	21. The Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pete is taken into the woods by Chasten's father and brother. They want to get to know him and his intentions.

Chasten walked into the kitchen to pour himself some coffee. He picked up a cup and nearly dropped it on the floor. Luckily his mother was standing next to him and caught the cup as it fell from his suddenly numb fingers.

"Whoa!" Sherri said. 

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," Chasten kept mumbling.

"Come sit down, honey."

"I can't!" He paced back and forth. "I'm such an idiot!"

"No, you're not. But what's the matter?"

"Not only did I send Peter off alone with my overprotective father and big brother, but I just said the L word!"

"Love?" Sherri beamed. "You love Peter?"

"Why did I do that? We've only been dating for two months! Well, almost three months if you count all the offline conversations we shared before meeting in person. But he's gonna run screaming, I just know it."

"Honey, calm down. First of all, if he's such a coward you're better off without him. If he can't take some teasing from your family then he will never be part of it. And if he doesn't know how lucky he is to have your love, he's a fool."

Chasten hugged her. "You're the best mom in the whole world." 

"I try."

\---

Pete was smiling as he rode along with Terry and Dustin in silence. All he could think about was Chasten telling him he loved him. Sure, he could've said it as a joke, but it still felt real. It felt wonderful. Chasten was such a kind and generous soul, who was always willing to pitch in and help others. And he loved kids. That was important since he hoped to raise a family one day.

"You sure are quiet, boyfriend," Dustin barked.

Pete jumped, startled by his booming voice. 

Terry snickered. "He's probably embarrassed that I walked in on him and Chasten at the motel."

"Ew, gross, Dad! I didn't need to hear that."

"Sorry, bad choice of words. I didn't walk in and see anything. But when Chasten opened the door I could tell I interrupted something."

"Dad!"

Pete felt his face getting warmer by the second. He needed to change the subject fast. "So, what's the itinerary for today?"

Dustin smiled at him, obviously relieved. "We always hunt at this one spot, just over that rise." He pointed out the window, but Pete only saw a blanket of white snow.

"It's not usually storming on Thanksgiving weekend, so we'll see how long you can tough it out."

"I'm pretty tough," Pete said. "I grew up in South Bend, so I'm used to this type of weather."

"You hunt?" Terry asked.

"No, not at all."

"You got a problem with it?" Dustin asked, sounding a bit defensive.

"I have no problem with people exercising their right to hunt, but I've just never had any desire to do it."

That got him a thoughtful nod from both men. He had to be careful not to insult Chasten's family, even if he really didn't want to shoot an animal himself. Most likely there wouldn't even be anything to shoot at in this weather.

A few minutes later they staked their spot, set up a temporary camp and shared some hot coffee.

"So," Terry started in, "how exactly did you and my son meet?"

"We met online, through a dating app called Hinge. It connects people on Facebook with similar interests."

"You were using a dating app?" Dustin sounded appalled.

"I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know the first thing about dating. I was in the closet up until a few months ago."

"Wait. So you never had a boyfriend before Chasten?"

"That's right."

Terry nodded. "Why did you come out?"

"Well, going off to war made me realize that I wasn't living my life to the fullest. I want to get married and have a family just like most people. But in order to meet Mr. Right I had to start dating."

"How do we know that you're not just using Chasten? He's been hurt enough. We don't want him hurt again."

"I appreciate that. I would never intentionally hurt him. I don't understand how anyone could hurt such a sweet soul."

"What about playing the field? Most guys want to sow their wild oats. I sure did." Dustin said.

Pete shrugged. "That's just not me. I have no interest in dating just for dating's sake. Chasten and I have a lot in common, and we both want the same things. Home. Family. Community. I, uh, haven't said anything to Chasten yet, but I was thinking of asking him to move in with me. Do you think he would? I know he will have a lot of traveling with school and work. But I want him to know how much I care about him and want to build a life with him."

Both Terry and Dustin stared at Pete with their mouths agape.

"Is that a no?" Pete asked.

Both men responded by clearing their throats and pounding on each other's back. Terry turned away and rubbed his eyes.

"You want to live with my brother in sin?" Dustin glared at Pete.

Pete glared back. "Love isn't sin."

"You love Chasten?" Terry asked.

"I...I think I do. I mean, I've never been in love so I don't know for sure. All I do know is that I'm happier when he's near. I miss him when he's gone. And I cannot imagine my life without him in it. Is that love?"

Terry and Dustin nodded slowly. 


	22. Fireside Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ugly truth comes out!

The hunting party decided to head back after an hour of waiting for a deer to appear. Thankfully, Pete had been correct in his observation. Bullet dodged, literally.

By the time they got to the house Pete was shaking uncontrollably. He headed straight for the fireplace, took off his wet shoes and socks and set them on the brick hearth. 

"Oh my God!" Chasten gasped. "Did you get frostbite? I'm so sorry. I should've told you to bring some hikers."

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine as soon as I warm up." He smiled at Chasten and watched his expression ease a bit.

"He did well, though," Terry said. "Not a single complaint."

"Unlike someone else we know." Dustin stared at his little brother.

Chasten stuck out his tongue and Dustin laughed.

Sherri came in with a small tub of water. "Peter, you need to soak your feet for a few minutes, bring the temperature up slowly."

"Thanks." He rolled up his jeans and set his feet in the water. Needles of pain made him catch his breath. "Whoa."

Terry looked guilty. "Sorry, pal. The cold can creep up on a guy. You should've said something."

Pete shrugged. "I honestly didn't notice. Plus I was enjoying myself. I love the snow. I just didn't pack for the occasion."

"I really am sorry." Chasten sat next to him.

"Hey, it's okay." Pete took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

The rest of the family walked out of the room, giving them time alone.

"I should've warned you about the hunt. It's a family tradition. I was just scared."

"Of what?"

Chasten wouldn't meet Pete's gaze. "That you wouldn't come here with me. That you would think my family is crazy. That--"

"Stop."

Chasten looked up at him.

"Your family is great. It's obvious they love you a lot. Just like I do."

Chasten blinked, then blinked again. "Did you just say what I thought you said?"

Pete grinned. "I love you, Chasten."

His boyfriend's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "I love you too."

"I know. You told me earlier."

"Oh, you caught that, huh?"

Pete laughed. "Yeah, it's what kept me so warm the entire time I was out there."

Chasten hugged him. "Thank you for loving me."

"Loving you is the easiest thing in the world."

Just as they went in for a kiss, a chorus of throat-clearing rang through the air. They jumped apart.

"Okay, we all love each other," Dustin said. "Can we eat now?"

\--

Chasten couldn't stop smiling. He wasn't sure why he had been so nervous about Peter meeting his family. It was obvious how much everyone was getting along.

He only wished his brother Rhyan would come around. What sort of God would tell people to shun anyone? Yet Rhy was now leading his own church and teaching others to be bigots.

The country was founded on freedom of religion because of persecution. Now religious leaders were using their backward beliefs to persecute people who were born different.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Hm?" Chasten glance over at Peter.

"You were frowning. I much prefer your smile."

Chasten smiled sadly. "Sorry. I was just thinking about my other brother." 

Dustin nodded. "Rhy can be a little stubborn."

"You mean stupid," Chasten growled.

"Chasten," Sherri interrupted. "Can we just please enjoy our lunch?"

Peter's tension rolled off him like a wave. He was happy when Peter spoke up. "I mean no disrespect at all, but doesn't it bother you that your other son is not accepting of Chasten?"

Sherry nodded. "It does. More than you know. I've told him his behavior is appalling."

Chasten was stunned by his mother's admission. "You did?"

"Of course I did! I don't think he has any right to preach love and faith, while being so judgmental. Jesus would never do that." She paused for a moment. "And just to be clear, he was planning to be here, but I told him not to bother coming if he was going to just stare down his high and mighty nose at you and Peter."

The silence that followed was deafening.


End file.
